Mobile incinerators



Dec. 2, 1958 JL B. BRANDT ET AL 2,862,462

MOBILE: INCINERATORS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 0G12. 6, 1953 Dec. 2, 1958 J. B. BRANDT ETAL 2,862,462

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, MOBILE: INCINERATORS Filed oct. e, 1953 6 Shets-Sheet 5 r ars .M E. @mi m mi? ,W may NRNK www v/ E United States Patent "O MQBILE INCINERATORS John B. Brandt, Harry J. Kelly, and JohnJ.l Burns, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Mobile Incinerators, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application ctober 6, 1953, Serial N o. 384,458

7 Claims. (Cl. 110-8) Our invention relatesrto mobile incinerators.

Our invention relates more particularly to an incinerator of the type which may be transported fromhouse to house, as in towns, villages and cities, to collect, pulverize, dehydrate and burn garbage or similar combustile refuse, reducing it to ashes and storing the'ashes on the conveyance in sacks or other containers to permit the sale of the same for fertilizer.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a mobile incinerator for collecting and burning garbage or similar combustible refuse, said incinerator to include a completepowertplant capable kof operation independent of ,the power-V plant of the vehicle propelling `the same, and which may includeas integral units of Vthe samean internalcombustion' motor, anelect'ric generator, an 'air compressor, acidI and'l gas containers, and other necessary equipment' for complete power requirements of the incinerator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mobile incineratorin an assembly 'whichmay includeV all of: `the usual equipment presently found in commercial garbage collection trucks, the incinerator being assembled therewith so that in the truck non-combustiblescan `be collected and stored,'while paper, trash, garbage and other combustibles may-be burned vas'the truck'travels on its collection route.

A further object ofithe invention is to provide anzimproved mobile incinerator forburningpapers,ftrash`fand garbage which :includes crusher :orpulverizing rolls, a

heating or dehydrating chamber and a furnace, all -designed and arranged in connection with the-usual Igarbage disposal Itrucks at present on the market. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the type described capable of 'continuous operation so that the garbage disposal truck may be driven on a regular pick-up route to collect garbage and;trash, the incinerator and associated equipment serving to dehydrate and burn all garbage and combustible trashas it is collected while permitting the storing 'of the ashes in suitable` containers for sale'or other use ofthe same.

This application relates to certain features and arrangements which'are improvements over our previously issued Letters Patent No. 2,601,657, wherein'the generic arrangements have been disclosed. f

Other objects vand advantages 'will be more apparent from the following description whereinreferenceis 'had to the accompanying drawings, upon which Fig. l is a side elevational view of a mobile incinerator constructedv in accordancewith our invention; y

Fig.y 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional View thereof taken on the line 2-,2 of Fig. l; Y y Y Fig. 3 isaplan sectional view taken on the line'3-3 of Fig; 2; n v

Fig. A4 is a longitudinal sectional yviewdthroughrthe f rnobile'incinerator taken generallyv on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Y Y

Fig. 5 isv a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the 2,862,462 Patented Dec. 2, 1958 f ICC 2 crusher rolls and drive therefor taken'generally on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is `a plan sectional view taken generally on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention which we have chosen to illustrate and describe the same, in Fig. 1 we have shown the usual type of garbage or refuse collecting vehicle which is mounted on the front and back wheels 10 and 12 for supporting the enclosedgarbage collection truck 14. The same may be formed either as part of a mobile unit having a truck cab and power source as an integral unit, or as shown with a'coupling'16 for connection to a truck unit 18 for pulling the same around when desired.

The truck body 14 is preferably` arranged with the power units aligned valong the front wall 19 of the same and the furnace or incinerator near vthe back, the back of the truck Ibeing provided with swinging doors 20 so that the interior is readily accessible, and theisafcks or containers of ashes which are accumulated can be readily removed. Doors 22 are also provided on both sides of the truck body for accessibility to the interior of the same.

In collecting garbage while driving down the alleys it is desirable to have a dumping hopper on both sides of the refuse lcollecting'vehicle. Accordingly, as bestA seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 vand 4, we have shown a hopper 24 on each side wall 26 of the truck body 14. The hopper is attached over an opening 28 in the-side wall and is prefer- 4latched so that whenever it is desired to dump this refuse it can be done. l

Garbage that is dumped into the hopper 24 may fall forward against a set of crusher rolls 34 preferably mounted at an inclined angle to the opening 28. We preferably mount the crusher rolls in pairs such as shown (see Figs. 3 and 5), each set having a drive so that the rolls rotate in opposite directions to draw refuse between the same and crush it as it is being pulled through the rolls. Each crusher roll may be mounted in a lower combined radial and thrust bearing 40 fastened to the bottom wall 42'of the entrance 29 to the crusher rolls. The upper ends of the' rolls may extend into a supporting housing 43 within which we provide sets of bevel gearsv 44, the driving bevel gears being keyed to a horizontal shaft 46 which extends out of one side of the housing 44 to a suitable motor `drive unit S0. The drive unit S0 is mounted on a vertical side wall 31 of the entrance 29 to the rolls, the entrance being closed at the top by a horizontal wall 51.v

Refuse which is receivedk in the hopper 24-and moved through the `crusher rolls is discharged'upon inclined conveyor 52. The conveyor may be of any suitable 0r desirable arrangement which preferably includes an endless belt 54 trained over an idler roller 56 'adjacent the lower end of the crusher rolls and a driven `roller 58 positioned some distance above the upper end of the crusher rolls 34. The endless beltw54 is preferably provided with rows of finger members 60 which engage the refuse that has been crushed and carries the same upwardly to be dumped into an open entrance 62 at the upper end of a fine comminuting .unit 64. In order to strip the refuse from the fingers 60 we provide a row of slots 66 at the ridge of the entrance 62 to the comminuting unit on both sides of the same. The drive for the driven roller 58 may be in the form of a chain 59 from a sprocket geared to the shaft 46 of the crusherroll drive, the sprocket 68 being keyed to the end of the driven roller 58.

While the crusher rolls are so arranged that metallic objects, such as tin `cans which are frequently found in garbage, glass bottles and similar materials will be 1kept from being pulled through anddropped into the .bottom ymay be provided'with peripheral slots 72 through which the fingers 6% of the conveyor may pass.

We provide a separate motor 74 and a shaft 76 for driving each'ofthe magnetic rolls 70, and aseparate magnetizer 78 of any suita-ble design to magnetize the surface of each roll during most of its travel so that the magnetizer may pick upmetallic objects from itsconveyor and bring them around to an insulated scraper blade S which slopes 'downwardly from each ro-ll and forms a portion of a trough 82 provided for each roll down which metallic objects may fall by gravity into two storage spaces 84, one on a sideof the crusher rolls, conveyor and waste disposal unit.

During the crushing of the waste material and while it is being conveyed to the top'of the Comminuting unit, a certain amount of fluid will be released from the waste material. To permit the same `to escape we provide a sloping wall 61 below theV conveyor 52 and a drain board 63 below the lower end of the crusher rolls. Fluid may descend along both these paths to a waste iiuid tank 65 which is fastened below the oor 90 of the truck body 14. The fluid may be drained from the tank through a faucet 67 whenever sufficient waste vfluid has accumulated. Y

As seen in Fig. 2, the hoppers 24upon both sides of the truck body are thus capa-ble of receiving waste material continuously, the crusher rolls, conveyor, magnetic pick-np roll, and comminuting unit being operated continuously while the mobilevincinerato'r is being `driven down the alley. Thus with the pick-up on both sidesof the truck, garbage containers on both sides of the alley may -be emptied simultaneously.

As is well known by those familiar with the commercial type of waste comminuting units, the material that is received by the same is ground to a tine texture and is generally sufficiently fluid so that it may flow forward from the same through a suitable conduit 86 to a dehydrating unit 8S.

The comminuting unitV which is mounted on the iioor 90 of the truck body has a suitable motor 92 for operating the same and a pair of conduits 94 for the circulation of compressed air, the conduits 94 extending forward to suitable air compressors diagrammatically shown in the forward end of thetruck body 14.

The dehydrating unit 88 may be of a commercial type that is well known in the art, which generally includes a Amotor and heating elements 96, the dehydrators generally serving to exclude moisture from they waste passing through the same, the moisture descending through suitable drain pipes 98 and 100 into the two tluid waste tanks 65.

From the dehydrating unit 8S the waste material, whichY has now been thoroughly'processed and has reached a comparatively dry stage, is fed forward through a passageway 102 which may, if desired, have a spiral conveyor 104 therein for moving the waste material `forward into a furnace 106. Y

The furnace or incinerator unit 106 may bel any one of a plurality of commercial types at present on the market, such as gas, electric, acid, etc., the same being generally understood to be completely insulated from the truck body and being provided with a suitable vent 108 which carries any fumes that might arise outwardly through the same. The furnace is preferably of la type which will reduce the waste material to a ineash and may include a pair of discharge openings 110 and 112 to which containers such as the sacks 114 and 116 may be attached to receive the ashes. When a container has been filled,

4 it may be closed and placed on the floor of the truck body out ofthe way, androther bags or receptacles attached to the doors of the furnace to be lled.

As previously mentioned, and as diagrammatically shown, the power plant and associated elements are preferably located in the forward end -of the truck body with suitable electrical and other connections between the same and the associated units. Since in the embodiment of the invention shown we have pointed out that the mobile incinerator is a self-contained unit capable of being moved about by a truck, we have also shown in the same a power plant A, -a generator B operated by the same. The power plant also preferably operates the air compressors C shown, and the generator will generate sutiicient electricity to operate the various motors for driving the grinder rolls, conveyor, magnetic pick-up roll, and the motors of the waste disposal unit, dehydrator, and the furnace. Suitable acid and gas containers D and E are also diagrammatically shown a's located in the forward end of the truck body.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that we have provided a mobile incinerator which is a self-contained unit and which is capable of being hauled, through alleys as on a usual pick-up route, and the lgarbage and waste material can be disposed of as the incinerator progresses through the alley. ln addition, the resultant ashes, which are valuable as fertilizer, can be placed into containers or receptacles and stored in the truck body for later removal.

Through the doors 22 non-combustibles may be placed in the available space on the sides of the aligned comminuting unit, dehydrator unit and furnace. Also, the waste liuid which is pressed from the waste as it is reduced and dried, is stored in suitable tanks during the progress through the alleys, and may be eliminated at suitable disposal places.

We contemplate that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and we do not wish to limit ourselves; rather what we desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mobile incinerator comprising an automotive vehicle having an enclosed truck body thereon and refuse disposal apparatus in said truck body, said apparatus comprising dump hoppers on opposite sides of said truck body extending outwardly from openings in the side walls of said truck body, two sets of angularly disposed crusher rolls, one set mounted in said truck body adjacent each of said openings, an incline conveyorimounted in said truck body in part below and parallel to each of said sets of crusher rolls, said conveyors both inclined inwardly and upwardly toward each other, a comminuting unit positioned between the upper ends of said conveyors, said comminuting unit having a top entrance to receivel ground waste from the upper end of each of said conveyors, a dehydrating unit, a conduitv from said comminuting unit to said dehydrating unit, a furnace, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said furnace, a waste uid reservoir, a conduit fromv said dehydrating unit to said waste fluid reservoir and power and fuel meansy on said truck for operating said crusher rolls, comminuting unit, dehydrating unit and said furnace.

2. A mobile incinerator comprising an automotive vehicle having an enclosed truck body thereon and refuse disposal'apparatus in said'truck body, said apparav tus comprising dump hoppers on opposite sides of said truck body extending outwardly from openings in the side walls of said truck body, two sets of angularly disposed crusher rolls, one set mounted in/svaid truck body adjacent each of said openings, `an incline conveyor mounted in said truck body in part below and parallel to each of said sets of crusherrolls, said conveyors both inclined inwardly andupwardly toward each other, a comminuting unit positioned between the upper ends .of saidllconveyors, said comminuting unithaving a top entrance to receive ground waste from the upper end of each of said conveyors, a dehydrating unit, a conduit from said comminuting unit to said dehydrating unit, a furnace, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said furnace, a waste fluid reservoir, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said waste iluid reservoir and power and fuel means on said truck for operating said crusher rolls, comminuting unit, dehydrating unit and said furnace, said waste fluid reservoir located below said truck body. Y

3. A mobile incinerator comprising an automotive vehicle having an enclosed truck body thereon and refuse disposal apparatus in said truck body, said apparatus comprising dump hoppers on opposite sides of said truck body extending outwardly from openings in the side walls of said truck body, two sets of angularly disposed crusher rolls one set mounted in said truck body adjacent each of said openings, an incline conveyor mounted in said truck body in part adjacent each of said sets of crusher rolls, said conveyors inclined inwardly and upwardly toward each other, a comminuting unit positioned between the upper ends of said conveyors, said comminuting unit having a top entrance to receive ground waste from the upper end of each of said conveyors, a dehydrating unit, a conduit from said com minuting unit to said dehydrating unit, a furnace, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said furnace and power and fuel means on said truck for operating said crusher'rolls, comminuting unit, dehydrating unit and said furnace.

4. A mobile incinerator comprising an automotive vehicle having an enclosed truck body thereon and refuse disposal apparatus in said truck body, said apparatus comprising dump hoppers on opposite sides of said truck body extending outwardly from openings in the side walls of said truck body, two sets of angularly disposed crusher rolls, one set mounted in said truck body adjacent each of said openings, an incline conveyor mounted in said truck body in part below and parallel to each of said sets of crusher rolls, said conveyors inclined inwardly and upwardly toward each other, a comminuting unit positioned between the upper ends of said conveyors, said comminuting unit having a top entrance to receive ground waste from the upper end of each of said conveyors, a dehydrating unit, a conduit from said comminuting to said dehydrating unit, a furnace, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said furnace and power and fuel means on said truck for operating said crusher rolls, comminuting, dehydrating unit and said furnace, said truck body having an open back end, doors for the same and said incinerator unit assembly having power and fuel units adjacent the front end of the same and with the comminuting, dehydrating unit and furnace aligned toward the back of the truck body.

5. A mobile incinerator comprising an automotive vehicle having an enclosed truck body thereon and refuse disposal apparatus in said truck body, said apparatus comprising dump hoppers on opposite sides of said truck body extending outwardly from openings in the side walls of said truck body, said dump hoppers having downwardly opening doors, a set of inwardly and upwardly inclined crusher rolls mounted in 'said truck body in front of each of said openings, an incline conveyor mounted in said truck body in part below and parallel to each of said sets of crusher rolls, said conveyors inclined inwardly and upwardly toward each other, a comminuting unit positioned between the upper ends of said conveyor, said comminuting unit having a top entrance to receive ground waste from the upper end of each of said conveyors, a dehydrating unit, a conduit from said comminuting unit to said dehydrating unit, a furnace, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said furnace and power and fuel means on said truck for operating said crusher rolls, comminuting unit, dehydrating unit and said furnace.

6. A mobile incinerator comprising a wheeled truck having an enclosed truck body thereon and refuse disposal apparatus in said truck body, said apparatus comprising dump hoppers on opposite sides of said truck body, extending outwardly from openings in the side walls of said truck body, two sets of angularly disposed crusher rolls, one set mounted in said truck body adjacent each of said openings, an incline conveyor mounted in said truck body in part below and parallel to each of said sets of crusher rolls, said conveyors both inclined inwardly and upwardly toward each other, a comminuting unit positioned between the upper ends of said conveyors, said comminuting unit having a top entrance to receive ground waste from the upper end of each of said conveyors, a magnetic pick-up roller positioned above and near the upper end of each of said conveyors, a scraper and chute associated therewith, a dehydrating unit, a conduit from said comminuting unit to said dehydrating unit, a furnace, a conduit from said dehydrating unit to said furnace and power and fuel means on said truck for operating said crusher'rolls, comminuting unit, dehydrating unit and said furnace.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, which includes a waste fluid trough below the crusher rolls and the conveyor belt, said trough having a waste uid tank associated therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,361 Dowling Oct. 10, 1893 872,466 Smead Dec. 3, 1907 1,009,914 Mayer-Dinkel Nov. 28, 1911 1,099,330 Woolacott lune 9, 1914 1,177,045 Magarvey et al. Mar. 28, 1916 1,518,200 Herlihy Dec. 9, 1924 1,721,400 Le Page July 16, 1929 1,809,819 Caller June 16, 1931 2,014,796 Blumenthal Sept. 17, 1935 2,166,846 McCalley July 18, 1939 2,601,657 Brandt et al June 24, 1952 

